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Category: Sector Insight

10 September 2026 . Michael McGrath . , , , , , , , ,

The 50% CGT Discount Is Ending. Here’s What We Think Owners Need To Know.

I want to flag something, because I think a lot of business owners may miss the window – or will they? Well, I think the answer is Yes and No……. A change is coming to how capital gains are taxed in this country, and the businesses that come out ahead will be the ones that quietly get things in order over the next twelve months. If you own a business through a trust, a partnership, or in your own name, this affects you directly, and we would rather you hear it early so you can decide to take any necessary action.
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25 August 2026 . Michael McGrath . , , , , , , , ,

Built to Last, Built to Grow: Why National Fabricators are Buying Regional Capability

Australia's metal fabrication sector doesn't grab headlines the way software or AI does, but it is undergoing its own quiet transformation. The market is estimated at roughly AUD 665 million and is forecast to grow steadily over the next decade as infrastructure spending, defence procurement, and precision manufacturing demand all lift in tandem [1]. Much of that growth isn't coming from new entrants
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11 August 2026 . Michael McGrath . , , , , , , , ,

The Reframe: How Software Businesses Mid-Transformation Are Finding the Right Buyer

Australia's software development sector is one of the fastest-growing parts of the business landscape. The market reached an estimated AUD $5.4 billion in 2025 and is forecast to grow to around AUD $24.2 billion by 2034
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28 July 2026 . Michael McGrath . , , , , , ,

Freedom Isn’t Free. Neither Is the Free Market.

Ronald Reagan is remembered for a phrase that has become almost a political cliché: freedom is not free. [1] He was speaking about liberty in the geopolitical sense, but the same observation applies equally to markets.
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15 July 2026 . Michael McGrath . , , , , , ,

Deal Activity Holds Firm — And Why Timing the Market Is a Mug’s Game

When I wrote our M&A Outlook in the first quarter, I argued that the deal market remained resilient despite the geopolitical noise, and that the mid-market would continue to be where the real action was in 2026. Halfway through the year, the evidence is stacking up on both fronts.
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24 June 2026 . Michael McGrath . , , , , , ,

When The Problem Points The Way Forward: What 40 Years In Business Taught Me About Turning Adversity Into Opportunity

I started my first business in 1987: a pizza home delivery chain in the UK, back when the concept was still a novelty. By 1990, we had grown to 84 outlets and captured 15% market share. Two years later, at just 28 years old, I sold the business to the market leader, Perfect Pizza.
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2 June 2026 . Michael McGrath . , , , , , ,

Passing the Baton: How Founder-Led IT Businesses Are Finding Their Next Chapter

Australia’s IT Managed Services sector is a significant and fast-growing part of the business landscape. According to IMARC Group, the Australian managed services market reached approximately AUD $8.5 billion in 2024 and is forecast to grow to around AUD $15.9 billion by 2033 .
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26 May 2026 . Michael McGrath . , , , , , ,

What Warren Buffett’s Exit Teaches Every Business Owner About Succession

Three weeks ago, in Omaha, Nebraska, something quite extraordinary happened. For the first time in decades, Warren Buffett — the most celebrated investor of our era — sat in the arena as a spectator while someone else ran the show.
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12 May 2026 . Michael McGrath . , , , , ,

Deals Are Getting Done. Just Not Quickly.

The Peter Warren–Wakeling transaction is a textbook example of a well-structured deal caught in the slow lane — not by market conditions, but by the machinery of government approval.
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28 April 2026 . Michael McGrath . , , , ,

When the Numbers Don’t Tell the Whole Story: The Case for Intuition in Business Leadership

Over nearly four decades advising business owners, one pattern stands out more than any other. The best decisions — the ones that genuinely changed the trajectory of a business — were rarely made by spreadsheet alone.
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21 April 2026 . Michael McGrath . , , , , ,

Clean Sweep: CIA Property and Event Services Acquires Cleaning Institute of Australia

Australia's commercial cleaning sector is a significant and growing part of the economy. According to IBISWorld, the sector generates over $20 billion in annual revenue, is supported by more than 44,000 businesses, and employs over 209,000 people nationwide.
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7 April 2026 . Michael McGrath . , , , , ,

Steel, Structures and Solar: What the IUP–Ambor Deal Tells Us About the Mid-Market Right Now

We recently facilitated the acquisition of IUP by Ambor Structures — and we think this deal says something important, not just about two companies finding a good fit, but about the broader conditions shaping mid-market M&A activity right now.
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24 March 2026 . Michael McGrath . , , ,

M&A Outlook 2026

The deal market remains in good shape as we move further into 2026, despite what most people are predicting as the short-term disruption resulting from the recent geopolitical event in the Middle East.
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17 March 2026 . Michael McGrath . , , , , ,

Clean Beauty, Big Ambitions: True2You Skin Acquires Bohemian Skin

The Australian skincare sector is booming. Estimated at between $1.65 billion and $3.6 billion depending on the measure, the market is being driven by growing consumer demand for natural and organic ingredients, with Gen Z leading the charge on transparency and sustainability
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2 December 2025 . Michael McGrath . , , , , ,

Mining Services Sector: Consolidation Ahead and Rise of Structured Deals

The Mining Support Services sector is a major part of Australia’s business landscape - worth $14.4 billion in 2025 and employing 38,000 people. The sector as a whole is flat with IBIS predicting modest growth of 1.5% over the next five years, following a recent decline. Volatility remains high, driven by commodity price fluctuations.
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Recent posts

5 September 2026 . Content

Why 70% of Family Business Transitions Fail (And How to Protect Yours)

Seven out of ten family business transitions fail. Not struggle. Not face challenges. Fail completely. That means business closure, forced
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25 August 2026 . Michael McGrath

Built to Last, Built to Grow: Why National Fabricators are Buying Regional Capability

Australia's metal fabrication sector doesn't grab headlines the way software or AI does, but it is undergoing its own quiet transformation. The market is estimated at roughly AUD 665 million and is forecast to grow steadily over the next decade as infrastructure spending, defence procurement, and precision manufacturing demand all lift in tandem [1]. Much of that growth isn't coming from new entrants
Read More
11 August 2026 . Michael McGrath

The Reframe: How Software Businesses Mid-Transformation Are Finding the Right Buyer

Australia's software development sector is one of the fastest-growing parts of the business landscape. The market reached an estimated AUD $5.4 billion in 2025 and is forecast to grow to around AUD $24.2 billion by 2034
Read More
7 August 2026 . Content

The Critical Mistakes Business Owners Make When Planning Their Transition

The difference between a transition that preserves value and one that destroys it usually comes down to a handful of
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28 July 2026 . Michael McGrath

Freedom Isn’t Free. Neither Is the Free Market.

Ronald Reagan is remembered for a phrase that has become almost a political cliché: freedom is not free. [1] He was speaking about liberty in the geopolitical sense, but the same observation applies equally to markets.
Read More
15 July 2026 . Michael McGrath

Deal Activity Holds Firm — And Why Timing the Market Is a Mug’s Game

When I wrote our M&A Outlook in the first quarter, I argued that the deal market remained resilient despite the geopolitical noise, and that the mid-market would continue to be where the real action was in 2026. Halfway through the year, the evidence is stacking up on both fronts.
Read More
24 June 2026 . Michael McGrath

When The Problem Points The Way Forward: What 40 Years In Business Taught Me About Turning Adversity Into Opportunity

I started my first business in 1987: a pizza home delivery chain in the UK, back when the concept was still a novelty. By 1990, we had grown to 84 outlets and captured 15% market share. Two years later, at just 28 years old, I sold the business to the market leader, Perfect Pizza.
Read More
19 June 2026 . Content

The 7 Critical Mistakes That Destroy Business Sale Value

You’ve spent years building something that works. The revenue’s there. The systems run. The clients keep coming back. Then you
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12 June 2026 . Content

The Strategic Exit Planning Timeline: Why Three Years Makes the Difference

Here’s what most business owners get wrong about exits: they think it’s about finding a buyer. It’s not. It’s about
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5 June 2026 . Content

The Strategic Framework for Successful Family Business Succession

Succession isn’t something that happens on a single date. It’s a multi-year process that starts long before you’re ready to
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